Sometimes it’s a unique combination of flavors or a surprisingly lovely texture that surprises and thrills me about a new recipe. With this week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake, it was the construction.
This is essentially a sour cream chocolate pound cake, a really good sour cream chocolate pound cake mind you, that has been sliced into three layers, filled with jam, and frosted. Brilliant! As soon as I realized what was going on with this recipe my mind started cataloging all sorts of ways I can put this concept to good use, and I wondered why I had never thought to treat a pound cake like a layer cake before.
If you aren’t up for making and frosting a layer cake, this is the cake for you. The batter is easy to mix up and it bakes in a single loaf pan. Layering the cake with jam eliminates the need to make a filling and is so quick and easy to spread. The jam melds with the cake layers adding a bright flavor accent and moist texture that makes you want another bite. A simple ganache frosting made by stirring sour cream into melted chocolate is all that’s necessary to finish it off.
Chocolate with cardamom is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Cardamom has the unique ability to be simultaneously strong and coy; it swirls around the taste of the chocolate and comes through in a subtle I’m here but I’m not here sort of way. I added ½ teaspoon of cardamom to my version and matched it with apricot jam.
Treating a simple pound cake like a layer cake opens up a whole new set of dessert options. The speed and ease of turning to a lovely jam as a filling makes this concept all the more appealing. I love the delicious understatement of pound cake but if I’m serving it for dessert will always dress it up with something. Fresh berries are my standard garnish, though I have recently become quite enamored with this Guinness Reduction. Now, I’m just as likely to layer it with a special jam and frost it.
Thank you to Amy, of Amy Ruth Bakes, for expanding my idea of what pound cake can be. She has posted the recipe on her blog if you would like to try this particularly tasty version, but of course you can layer up and frost your favorite pound cake in any way that inspires you.
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Over 350 baking bloggers are baking our way thorough Dorie Greenspan’s book, Baking: From My Home to Yours . 130 recipes completed 90 to go!
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I love love love that you added cardamom and the photo is brilliant! Yep, pound cakes are a family favorite here and chocolate is mine. I am picky about my chocolate though and I did use Valrhona cocoa in the cake. I am so happy it worked out for you and I enjoyed your post as well. Thank you for baking along with me this week. It was big fun and yes, happy.
AmyRuth
Oh cardamom sounds fantastic and I like that you compare this to pound cake because that is such a good description. I am in LOVE with pound cake so you know I loved this cake. Your layers look perfect. Great job.
I will click on anything that says cardamom, as it’s my favourite spice. I don’t eat many chocolate things, so I haven’t tried this combination yet, but I will, definitely! Great photo!
I like cardamom, but haven’t tried it with chocolate. Your flavor combination sounds great!
Chocolate and Cardamon. Interesting combo. I love both so will have to try. AND it looks lovely.
what a great-looking slice! i’m sure the cardamom was wonderful!